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Barber shop proves it's a cut above the rest picking up coveted British retailers award

2 Sep 2025

A barber's shop in Northern Ireland has proved that it's a cut above the rest by picking up the inaugural Love Your High Street Award 2025, following a public vote that attracted over 2,230... Read more…

Independent retailers face Fresh challenges as UK inflation climbs to 3.8%

20 Aug 2025

ACT parent company Bira has expressed serious concern following today's announcement that UK inflation rose to 3.8% in July, higher than the expected 3.7% and marking the tenth consecutive month... Read more…

Bike industry continues to face challenges as profits and forecasts falter at Giant, Canyon and Shim

14 Aug 2025

The global bike industry remains under pressure as Shimano, Giant and Canyon all report weaker profits and subdued outlooks for 2025.
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ACT to join industry leaders at brand new cycling trade event this September

13 Aug 2025

The ACT is set to be in attendance at the inaugural Cycling Industry News Live (CIN Live) trade show, which is set to bring together industry-wide education, market insight and product showcases... Read more…

Independent retail crisis deepens as nearly half see sales plummet compared to last year

12 Aug 2025

Britain's high street crisis has deepened dramatically with nearly half of independent retailers, including many in the independent cycling retail sector, reporting sales have crashed compared... Read more…

Independent retailers slam £5.9bn "de minimis" import loophole as Government delays action

11 Aug 2025

ACT parent company Bira has condemned the Government's inaction over the "de minimis" import loophole following a Sky News investigation revealing £5.9 billion worth of cheap imports... Read more…

Criminals undermining legitimate retailers as trading standards collapse

7 Aug 2025

Bira has warned that criminals are undermining legitimate retailers as trading standards services collapse, following a new Which? investigation.
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ACT welcomes Government's new product safety laws

23 Jul 2025

A leading cycle traders association has backed the government's move to protect consumers from dangerous products sold through online marketplaces, following Royal Assent of the Product... Read more…

Small Business Strategy Inquiry 2025 - ACT and Bira call for members to share their voice

20 Jun 2025

The House of Commons Business and Trade Committee has asked the ACT, and its parent company Bira, to help them reach out to small business retailers across the country, for their quick input on... Read more…

Beyond the discount: Restoring integrity to the cycle supply chain

18 Jun 2025

The Association of Cycle Traders believes the time has come for greater accountability throughout our supply chain, writes ACT Director Jonathan Harrison in an article published for BikeBiz.
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Upskill your team with Microsoft online courses through Activate Learning

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

ACT’s Cytech delivery partner Activate Learning, of which Activate Cycle Academy is a part, is offering FREE online Microsoft accredited online courses for employers to enable their staff to upskill in a particular digital topic.

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Activate Learning has been successful in securing funding from the Department for Education to deliver these courses free for local businesses in Berkshire, North Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey, although employees taking part do not need to be based in these areas. There are no limits to the number of courses or the number of employees that can sign up and they're available until the end of March 2023.

The courses are studied remotely by your employee through the Microsoft Learn portal and take on average 30 hours to complete. All learners are supported by a Digital Coach throughout.

There are six Microsoft Accreditation courses available free of charge, each tailored to meet the needs of local employers. They are:

AI FUNDAMENTALS - Concepts related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how Microsoft Azure can create solutions.

CLOUD COMPUTING FUNDAMENTALS - Cloud computing is the delivery of services to offer faster, innovative and flexible resources.

CLOUD SECURITY FUNDAMENTALS - The fundamentals of security, compliance, and identity (SCI) across cloud-based services.

DATA FUNDAMENTALS - Identify and describe core data concepts and implement with Microsoft Azure.

DYNAMICS 365 FUNDAMENTALS - Develop effective systems to manage customer interaction.

POWER PLATFORM FUNDAMENTALS - Create simple Power Apps, connect data, and build a chatbot.

For more information, click here.

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